What is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis arises from an inflamed liver due to various infectious viral diseases and conditions, leading to several health problems that can become life-threatening. There exist different forms of Hepatitis, such as hepatitis A, B, C, D and hepatitis E.

What are the signs of Hepatitis?

Common signs of infectious Hepatitis include the following:

• Lethargy
• Symptoms that are flu-like in nature
• Dark coloured urine
• Pale/whitened stool
• Stomach pain
• Reduced appetite
• Sudden weight loss
• Yellowed eyes and skin are indicative of jaundice.

How do you diagnose Hepatitis?

A comprehensive medical history should reveal any risk factors that increase your susceptibility to the condition. Apart from taking your medical history and performing a physical exam,

Dr Thomas will request the following:

• A liver function test utilises blood samples to determine how efficiently the liver works. However, unusual results from the test will prompt the urgency for additional blood tests to determine the cause of the symptoms.
• A liver biopsy is a detailed diagnostic study that involves extracting liver samples to determine how badly the liver is affected by infection or inflammation. The procedure does not involve open surgery. Instead, a needle is injected into the skin to remove liver samples.
• An abdominal ultrasound reveals the accumulation of liquid in the abdomen, liver enlargement or significant damage to the organ, the presence of liver tumours and abnormalities affecting gallbladder health.